Quest 500 (apparantly not the same as 650 according to manuals and photos)

[marcosphoto]

Hi folks, a little disparity brought me to this forum.  To set the stage, I'm a 35 auto tech in the industry 37 years now.  Licensed motorcycle tech also, 20+ years.  I race superbike and motocross.  Always done most of my own standard work (outside of specific race machine works) including building my own race bike engines.  Now that skills are out of the way, onwards and upwards. 

Helping a neighbor with his old quest 500, right front axle seal leak.  Well, looks like everything else - right?  Wrong!  Initially I noticed the CV joint was lacking large lands to place prybars on to pop it out, rather a thin shield like ring very close to the diff seal.  Knowing the ring appeared quite delicate, I only pried gently and the CV popped out.  However this is where things get weird.  Came out only around 7-9mm then hung up again, felt like the clip was catching inside the diff.  So spun and pulled, spun and pulled until I was blue in the face but no success getting it out.  Also while it was out, I could see that the delicate ring around the outer circumference of the joint was actually the sealing surface where the seal contacts, instead of the norm where the seal rubs inside the diff much deeper and stays cleaner.  I've never seen a joint like this, also the service manuals photos which apply to 650 also reflected a standard joint I am accustomed to rather than this one I was fighting with.  Rather than break something in the diff, I decided to stop while I was ahead and reassemble the machine before something broke.  (The joint would pop in and out of place easy enough, just wouldn't slide out further than 7-9mm).  While the joint was a little out and sealing surface exposed, I cleaned the seal and sealing surfaces clean as possible before putting back together.  Seems to be holding for now, but eventually I'm sure the leak will come back.  Any thoughts as to why that CV joint just refused to come all the way out?

[marcosphoto]

Here is what appears to be an accurate photo of the inner joint from an axle on ebay.  I see no reason why it wouldn't come out, inside they are the same as any other for the most part.  Notice this ring around the outside, this is actually the where the seal contacts, not inside as is usual. 

[Gwbarm]

I dont see anything to keep it from coming out either, unless the inner ring has become dislodged or broken it should only create minimal resistance. I would try to get some oil or penetrating oil on the shaft once you get it out as far as you can and work it back and forth and see if it lets loose.

[Mech]

Hi. That 9mm play must be happening somewhere other than the circlip in it's groove, the side gears in the diff perhaps.

My guess (educated guess. fifty years mechanicing), is that it needs jiggling etc and pulling firmly by hand, then a second person ( or be very dexterous ), to give that tiny tapered edge on the cv a sharp bump.. Sort of jamb a small bar in there, lever and push slightly, then give the bar a lever by bumping it with the palm of your hand..

You'd know how they are.. you can get it on the first try or the fiftieth..  Sure doesn't seem to be anything about the design of that cv. I have heard of people breaking the whole side out of front diffs before though.. Don't ask me how.. but they did.. So be gentle.. Sharp bump with the palm..

 

Suppose you know what a bearing splitter is..  Used in pressing.. Two halves that bolt together and wedge bearings along shafts.. One of those would hold it and you could improvise a slide hammer.. 

[Mech]

I just read a couple of comparable model manuals and it just says "Pull the axle out"...

[spock58]

Here's a suggestion for pulling a stuck axle out of a diff.  I use a regular 6' tiedown that I wrap one end around the axle & the other is wrapped around a large hammer/sledge hammer handle, just below the head.

With everything lined up right, you can swing the hammer which yanks the axle with more force than just pulling by hand. Give it a try, what's the worse that can happen - right?!

[marcosphoto]

All points on which I would tend to agree with, and with my 37+ years as a tech you would think.  The clip is definitely in it's land when I pop the shaft out of it's spot, but I cannot account for the almost 1cm of travel before it gets stuck again.  Between there it is loose as butter - and clicks back into and out of locked position with normal force of any shaft I've ever installed.  I may try the cable tie thing, but I still think something is amiss, after that short amount of travel it seems to hit a definite firm hard spot.

[Gwbarm]

I very rarely have one this difficult to remove so you may be right that something is wrong. Spocks idea is a very good one never thought to do that, when i have one this difficult i usually use a slide hammer to bump it loose, i have even had to make larger slide hammers with heavier weight to get it out, but that is rare.

[Mech]

Yeah the movement is strange.. The parts diagrams and manuals all say the spider and side gears in the diff aren't serviceable..  What's the bet the bike has worn the side gear thrust washers/faces..